Dawson County is States Newest Designated 'Entrepreneur Friendly' Community
ATLANTA, April 22, 2008 – North Georgia's Dawson County is one of the state's newest 'Entrepreneur Friendly' communities. The designation indicates the community has worked to develop an environment that is welcoming to small business and entrepreneurs. Ninety-two percent of Dawson County's 1,074 companies are small businesses with fewer than 20 employees. 'Small businesses and entrepreneurs create the kind of economic activity that is integral to ensuring prosperity and opportunity throughout Georgia,' said Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue. 'By encouraging and supporting these businesses, we are investing in a stronger future for our communities and the state as a whole.' Dawson County is the 98th community in the state to be named Entrepreneur Friendly by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). Previously designated Northeast Georgia counties include Forsyth and Lumpkin. Nearby counties in the process of designation include Banks, Towns and Union. Hall County received its designation last month. To earn the designation, Dawson County completed the Entrepreneur Friendly program with the assistance of GDEcD's regional representative Suzanne Browne. The county analyzed its entrepreneurial and small business environment and developed strategies to help foster the growth of this critical business segment. Dawson County also underwent a full-day assessment by a review team composed of GDEcD staff and representatives from the Department of Community Affairs, Georgia Tech, Small Business Development Center, Cornelia Better Hometown Program and White County Economic Development Office. Qualified entrepreneurs and small business owners in Dawson County are now eligible for customized market data, such as demographic and business information, to help give them a competitive edge. The county is also eligible for an Entrepreneur-Friendly Implementation Fund (EFIF) grant to help it implement specific, long-term programs that support their entrepreneurs and small businesses and also have a regional impact. The grant must be matched 50 percent in dollars or in-kind value by the community. 'Achieving this designation is a statement about what is important to us as a community, and it provides us with an approved method for accountability to small business,' said Linda Williams, president of the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce. 'Phase I of the process has provided community leaders with a wealth of knowledge that will be put to use as we implement our action plans.' 'Small businesses are the backbone of Georgia communities. By helping entrepreneurs and small businesses grow, we help Georgia grow,' said Heidi Green, chairman of the Georgia Entrepreneur and Small Business Coordinating Network and GDEcD's deputy commissioner for Global Commerce. 'We applaud Dawson County for incorporating small businesses into its strategic plan for growth.' The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, video and music projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.